U.S. patent number 3,871,704 [Application Number 05/364,644] was granted by the patent office on 1975-03-18 for high-low back for chair.
This patent grant is currently assigned to La-Z-Boy Chair Company. Invention is credited to Harold P. Ruble, Edwin J. Shoemaker, David B. White.
United States Patent |
3,871,704 |
Shoemaker , et al. |
March 18, 1975 |
HIGH-LOW BACK FOR CHAIR
Abstract
A lounging chair usually has a high back extending upwardly from
a seat so as to be engaged by the shoulders and head of an occupant
when reclining in the chair. Such a high back on a chair usually
does not fit well in a room having low backs on the davenport,
setees, chairs and like. The present invention pertains to a
lounging chair which has a low hollow back in which an extensible
back section is pivotally mounted for swinging movement rearwardly,
upwardly and forwardly in extension of the top of the back frame
when the back is tilted toward reclined position. After the back
section is moved to extended position it is locked to the back
frame and will move therewith to reclined position moving the seat
forwardly and upwardly. The initial movement of the seat forwardly
unlatches the back section and permits the back frame to move to
seating position which returns the back section to within the back
frame where it is locked when the back frame is in seating
position. A leg rest may be extended forwardly when the back frame
is reclined to provide a complete reclining position for the chair
occupant.
Inventors: |
Shoemaker; Edwin J. (Monroe,
MI), Ruble; Harold P. (Deerfield, MI), White; David
B. (Monroe, MI) |
Assignee: |
La-Z-Boy Chair Company (Monroe,
MI)
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Family
ID: |
26983788 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/364,644 |
Filed: |
May 29, 1973 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
Issue Date |
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323139 |
Jan 12, 1973 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
297/61;
297/112 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A47C
1/037 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
A47C
1/031 (20060101); A47C 1/036 (20060101); A47C
1/038 (20060101); A74c 001/02 () |
Field of
Search: |
;297/61,83,84,86,87,317,396,403,408,112 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Frazier; Roy D.
Assistant Examiner: Lyddane; William E.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Harness, Dickey & Pierce
Parent Case Text
RELATED APPLICATION
This is a continuation-in-part application of copending
application, Ser. No. 323,139, filed Jan. 12, 1973, now abandoned,
and is assigned to the assignee thereof.
Claims
We claim:
1. In a chair, a base frame, a seat frame, and a back frame,
linkage means for interconnecting said back and seat frames for
movement relative to each other, said back frame having spaced side
members forming a hollow back which is open rearwardly, a back
section, upper and lower pairs of links, a pair of plates secured
to the inner surfaces of said side members, pivot means securing
the upper ends of said pairs of links to said pair of plates and
the lower ends to said back section, said pair of plates have an
arcuate slot located adjacent to the pivots thereon which support
the lower pair of links, said lower pair of links having a
longitudinal slot crossing said arcuate slots, operating rods
having means at the upper ends projecting through both said slots,
and means connecting the lower ends of said operating rods to said
seat frame the movement of which relative to the back frame
produces the movement of said operating rods to move the back
section relative to said back frame.
2. In a chair as recited in claim 1, wherein said arcuate slots
extend downwardly at the bottom for receiving said projecting means
for locking said back section in said hollow back of the back
frame, the movement of the seat frame relative to the back frame
upon initially moving the back frame from seating position moves
the projecting means upwardly into the arcuate portion of said
slots for releasing the back section so that it may swing into a
position of extension with the back frame.
3. In a chair as recited in claim 1, wherein said arcuate slots
extend upwardly at the top for receiving said projecting means for
locking said back section in extension of said back frame by the
further movement of said seat frame toward reclining position
without any longitudinal movement between said back frame and said
operating rod.
4. In a chair as recited in claim 3, wherein said linkage means
interconnects the said side members of the back frame with the seat
frame to cause it to move further forwardly and upwardly when the
back section and back frame are moved to complete reclined
position.
5. In a chair as recited in claim 4, wherein a cross bar is
adjustably secured to the lower ends of said operating rods, and
wherein said means connecting the operating rods to said seat frame
are bellcranks having a pair of angularly disposed arms with pivot
means therebetween which are secured to opposite sides of said seat
frame with one arm of each said pair secured to said cross bar near
the ends thereof.
6. In a chair as recited in claim 1, wherein brackets are provided
at each side of the seat frame near the forward and rear portions
thereof, bellcranks having a pair of angularly disposed arms
thereon extending from a central portion, pivot means for securing
the central portion of said bellcranks to said rear brackets with
the arms disposed upwardly and downwardly, a cross bar pivoted to
the downwardly extending arms of the bellcranks, and a first pair
of links pivoted to the upwardly extending arms of said bellcranks
about which the bellcranks pivot when the seat is initially moved
to have the downwardly extending arms of the bellcranks actuate
said operating rods.
7. In a chair as recited in claim 6, wherein a lever is secured at
each outer side of the back frame, means for pivoting said levers
to the base frame with a portion extending downwardly therefrom, a
second pair of links each pivoted to the downwardly extending end
of said levers and having a slot therein, and a bushing on the
forward end of each of said first pair of links which extend into
each of said slots and are movable therein.
8. In a chair as recited in claim 6, wherein a second pair of
bellcranks each having a pair of angularly disposed arms with the
end of one arm pivoted to said base frame, a third pair of links
each connected at the junction of the arms of said second pair of
bellcranks and to the forward brackets on the seat frame for
producing the upward and forward movement thereof when the back
frame is tilted to inclined position.
9. In a chair as recited in claim 8, wherein a hook link is pivoted
to each of said second links, and fourth links pivoted to the other
arms of the second bellcranks and to the hook links to cause the
latter to be swung into engagement with said bushings to retain the
second links against movement until the back section is moved to
raised position.
10. In a chair as recited in claim 8, wherein spaced scissors type
of link means are supported on the seat frame front brackets and
actuated by a shaft supported on the base frame, and a leg rest
supported on the forward ends of said scissors type of link means.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Reference may be had to the E. M. Knabusch, et al. U.S. Pat. No.
2,863,495 which, along with the art cited therein, provides
teaching of extensible backs for seats as do prior art U.S. Pat.
Nos. 2,884,992; 2,958,374; 2,982,340 and 3,024,064.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention pertains to a chair structure having a base frame, a
back frame, a seat frame and a leg rest. Parallel linkage is
supported by the chair frame for supporting and manipulating the
leg rest to forward extended position by the operation of a handle
at the side of the base frame. The back frame is supported on
linkage which is pivoted to each side of the base and seat frames
which permits the back frame to be pivoted rearwardly and
downwardly to reclining position while moving the seat frame as
well as the leg rest and its supporting linkage means upwardly and
forwardly. The back frame is hollow and opened at the rear and top
so that a back section can be nested therein when supported on
parallelogram links. The lower pair of links has a slot in which an
operating element at the top end of a pair of operating rods extend
the opposite ends of the rods being secured to a cross tube having
each end secured to an arm of a bellcrank. The bellcrank is
operated when the back frame is initially moved to raise the seat
frame and move the back section to extended position. The movement
also releases a hook from the linkage at each side of the seat
frame and permits the back frame to move to reclined position.
Each of a pair of plates have an arucate slot therein located
adjacent to the pivot of the lower links in such position as to
have the longitudinal slots therein bisect the arcuate slots. The
projecting element on the operating rods extend through the
longitudinal slots into the arcuate slots. When the back and seat
frames are initially moved toward reclined position the back
section is unlocked when the projecting elements move from the
bottom extensions into the arcuate slots and swung upwardly and
inwardly to a position over the top of the back frame. The back
section is locked in this position when the operating element is
moved into the slot extensions at the top of the arcuate slots. The
extended back section, the back frame and the operating rods are in
fixed relation to each other when the back frame is further moved
to reclined position. The back frame will be raised from reclining
position to upright position when the weight of the occupant is
moved forward on the seat frame which will swing down and to the
rear returning the back section to nested position in the back
frame. The end of this movement moves the operating elements into
the bottom straight portion of the arcuate slots to lock the back
section in nested position within the back frame.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a view in elevation of a chair frame with the extensible
back section nested in the back frame when in upright position
embodying features of the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a reduced view of the structure illustrated in FIG. 1
with the back section moved to extended position;
FIG. 3 is a view of the structure illustrated in FIG. 2 with the
back frame in reclined position and with the seat frame in raised,
forward position;
FIG. 4 is a plan view of the mechanism between the base frame and
seat and back frames at the lefthand side of the chair;
FIG. 5 is a plan view of the mechanism between the back frame and
back section at one side of the seat, and
FIG. 6 is a reduced view of the structure illustrated in FIG. 3,
with the back frame, back section and seat frame in completely
inclined position and with the leg rest extended.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
A chair 11 of the reclining type has a base frame 12, a seat frame
13 and a back frame 14. The seat frame 13 and back frame 14 are
interconnected at each side of the base frame 12 by linkage means
15. The seat frame 13 has a rear bracket 16 to which a lever 17 is
secured by a pivot 18, the upper end of the lever 17 being secured
to the back frame by a screw 19. The lever 17 is also secured by a
pivot 21 to the back frame and to a bracket 22 which is secured by
screws 23 to the base frame 12. The bracket 16 also has a bellcrank
24 secured thereto by a pivot 25. The lower ends of the bellcranks
24 are interconnected by a crossbar or tube 26. The upper end of
the bellcrank 24 is secured by a pivot 27 to the rear end of a link
28 having a downwardly extending end 29 containing a bushing 31
which is disposed within a slot 32 in a link 33 which is secured to
the angularly disposed end of the lever 17 by a pivot 34. The link
33 is bent downwardly beyond the slot 32 to provide a downward
extension 35 which is secured by a pivot 36 to the end of one arm
56 of a bellcrank 37. The other arm of the bellcrank is secured by
a pivot 40 to a plate 39 which is secured to the base frame 12 by a
plurality of screws 41.
A bracket 42 is secured to each side of the forward portion of the
seat frame 13 to which a link 43 is secured by a pivot 44. The
opposite end of the link 43 is secured by a pivot 45 to the apex of
the bellcranks 37 where the base of the two arms join. A spring 46
has one end secured in an aperture through a finger 47 extending
downwardly from the bracket 16, the oppostie end being connected to
the end 48 of a C-shaped link 50 of the leg rest operating
mechanism. A second spring 49 has one end connected to the forward
end of the link 28 and to an extension on the pivot 45.
A hook link 51 is secured by a pivot 52 to the upper portion of the
downwardly extending end of the link 33 having the end opposite to
that containing the hook secured by a pivot 53 to a link 54 which
is secured by a pivot 55 to the arm 56 of the bellcrank 37. The
hook of the link, as illustrated in FIG. 1, is in engagement with
the bushing 31 on the end of the downwardly extending portion 29 of
the link 28 when the back is in erect position. This stabilizes the
linkage system so that all of the links are properly oriented when
the back section is moved to upright position illustrated in FIG.
1. The movement of the back section on the back frame upwardly into
extended position by the tilting of the back frame moves the hook
on the end of the hook link 51 from engagement with the end of the
bushing 31. The swinging of the bellcrank 37 by the movement of the
arm 56 thereof swings the link 43 forwardly and upwardly moving the
seat 13 forwardly and upwardly therewith.
The back frame 14 embodies two side members 59 interconnected by a
cross member 57 at the bottom and by an arcuate cross member 58 at
the top. The side members 59 of the back frame are spanned by
sinuous type springs (not shown) which extend forwardly thereof
with the upholstered material placed thereover and over the sides
in the usual manner. This leaves the inside of the back frame
hollow and open to the rear for supporting a back section 61 which
is mounted to move rearwardly, upwardly and forwardly over the top
of the back frame, as illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3.
The back section 61 is herein illustrated as being made from a
plywood board 62 which has an arcuate extension 63 at the rear top
edge. The board 62 has a bracket 64 at each side containing
forwardly extending fingers 65 and 66 to which bottom links 67 are
secured by pivots 68 and top offset links 69 are secured by pivots
71. The links are mounted by pivots 70 to plates 72 which are
secured to each inner face of the back frame side members 59 by
screws 73. A roller or other projecting element extends through
longitudinal slots 80 in the links 67 for travel in an arcuate slot
75 in the plates 72 having a center adjacent to the lower pivots 70
with extensions 76 and 77 at the lower and top ends, respectively.
The rollers or projections 74 are carried on one end of rods 78
which are interconnected near the top by a cross rod 79. Brackets
81 on the tube 26 through which the lower end of the rods 78 pass
secure the ends in predetermined relation to the ends of the
crossbar or tube 26.
When the back frame is in upright position, as illustrated in FIG.
1, the initial movement thereof moves the back section 61 upwardly
moving the roller or projection from the extension 76 of the slot
75 to unlock the roller or projection which will travel along the
arcuate portion of the slot and operate the links 67 to swing the
back section 61 from the position illustrated in FIG. 1 to that
shown in FIG. 2. In this position the roller or projection 74 moves
into the top extension 77 to lock the back section 61 in extended
position. The back section 61 moves forwardly at the end of its
upward movement over the top edge of the back frame in an upward
extension thereof. The rollers or projections 74 move within the
top extensions 77 of the slots 75 and thereby lock the back section
in extended position, as illustrated in FIG. 2. The back frame and
section can then be moved rearwardly and downwardly along with the
rods 78 in fixed relation therewith to completely reclining
movement, as illustrated in FIG. 3.
When in the position illustrated in FIG. 3, the operating handle
(not shown) rotates a shaft 82 to extend the links 83 and move the
leg rest 84 forwardly of the seat frame so that a complete
reclining position for the occupant of the lounging chair may be
had, as illustrated in FIG. 6.
The forward movement of the occupant on the seat frame will cause
it to move downward and backward to move the back frame to the
erect position illustrated in FIG. 2. The forward weight on the
seat frame 13 moves the rollers or projections 74 downwardly from
the slot extension 77 and permits the back section 61 to be swung
downwardly and forwardly into nested position within the back frame
and locked therein, as illustrated in FIG. 1. The leg rest may be
retracted before or after this final movement by the manipulation
of the handle in the reverse direction from that by which it was
extended. The leg rest 84 has not been described herein in detail
as a description thereof is found in the patent to E. M. Knabusch,
et al., U.S. Pat. No. 3,357,739 for "LOUNGE CHAIR." The links 83
are secured to the seat frame 13 on the bracket 42 to have the leg
rest and its link mechanism move therewith. In the final movement
of the back frame and section from the position illustrated in FIG.
2 to that illustrated in FIG. 1, the link 54 will cause the hook
link 51 to swing back to its initial position illustrated in FIG. 1
with the hook extending over the bushing 31 in secured latched
position in which it will remain until the back section is moved to
extended position.
The base frame, seat frame, back frame, back section and leg rest
are all upholstered in the usual manner with the exception that the
back frame is open from the rear for the nesting of the back
section therein. The back frame is completely upholstered as well
as the back section so that when nested the back section will
hardly be recognized as a separate element. When the back section
61 is extended, its upholstery matches that of the back frame the
inside of which is preferably upholstered in the same material. It
will be noted that the seat frame 13 is in its downwardmost
retracted position in FIG. 1 and has moved slightly forwardly and
upwardly when the back frame is initially moved to the rear to move
the bellcrank 56 clockwise and the rod 78 upwardly to move the
roller or projection 74 upwardly into the arcuate slot 75 to unlock
the back section 61. The further initial rearward movement of the
back frame moves the back section 61 to the position illustrated in
FIG. 2. The seat is moved substantially further upwardly and
forwardly when the back frame 12 is moved to reclined position, as
illustrated in FIG. 6. Maximum comfort is provided for the occupant
when the chair 11 is in completely inclined position and the leg
rest 84 has been extended forwardly, as illustrated in the
Figure.
* * * * *